Brigid is the traditional patroness of healing, poetry and smithcraft, which are all practical and inspired wisdom. She is is also the Goddess of physicians and healing, divination and prophecy.
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Beyond the ‘barbarian’ tag, there was more to the historical scope of these ancient people, particularly the fierce Celtic warriors
Glastonbury Tor is a hill in Glastonbury, Somerset, England, which features the roofless St Michael's Tower and forms an iconic part of the local landscape. The spot seems to have been called "Ynys yr Afalon" (meaning "The Isle of Avalon") by the Britons and is believed by some to be the Avalon of Arthurian legend. Remains of a 5th-century fort have been found on the Tor. This was replaced by the medieval St. Michael's church that remained until 1275. An earthquake was recorded on 11 September 1275, which destroyed the church. A second church, built in the 1360s, survived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 when the Tor was the place of the execution of Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey. He was hanged, drawn and quartered along with two of his monks, John Thorne and Roger James. The remains of St. Michael's Tower were restored in modern times.
Explore Ítalo Silva Cano.'s 55 photos on Flickr!
Ireland's Newgrange is one of the worlds few passage tombs, or Ancien back over 5500 years. It is located in central Ireland, in an area known as the Boyne Valley or Brú na Bóinne. Read on to learn some of the magic that surrounds this mysterious sight.
by Akkadia Ford
Notions and musings for creating Witch themed gardens, Moon gardens, Elemental gardens, Astrological gardens, Gothic gardens, and more. Includes solutions for limited space and light.
Through Brighid’s blessing of the smiths fire, the work of smiths can be done so that the rest of the Tribe's work of turning nature into culture can begin for the year.
Explore some of the ways you can add folk practices into your Imbolc celebration. Imbolc is a festival of purification and a celebration of the first signs of spring. It is the time when the milk begins to engorge the udders of the livestock in preparation for the first births of spring. It is an important date in the beginning of the agricultural year.
Acropolis Roquepertuse is a historical religious center for the Celts. It is located near the city of Velaux, north of Marseille and west of AixenProvence, in the ProvenceAlpesCte d'Azur rgion of southern France. Roquepertuse had no domiciles available for worshippers and has been used as a sa
Today marks the midway point between Winter’s start and Spring’s beginnings. It’s a wonderful time of promise and joy here in the midst of the bitter cold and quiet sleep of Winte…
This is a very simplified version of St. Brigid's (or St. Bridget's) cross. The traditional one is made of rushes and has many more layers. This is just the first round but it contains the core of the pattern. I used four strips of bagasse paper from India. They have deckled and uneven edges as they are the edges I trimmed off before cutting the paper for shipping The Spirit Books book. MAKE THE CROSS: 1. FOLD THE STRIPS OF PAPER: Fold each strip of paper in half. 2. FIRST STRIP: Hold the first strip vertically with the fold on the top. 3. SECOND STRIP: Hold the second strip horizontally with the fold on the left. Open it and and enclose the first strip by placing one layer on either side. 4. THIRD STRIP: Hold the third strip vertically with the fold on the bottom. Open it and and enclose the second strip by placing one layer on either side. 5. FOURTH STRIP: Hold the fourth strip horizontally with the fold on the right. Open it and enclose the third strip. Bring the layers together and thread them inside the layers of the first strip. 6. TIGHTEN: Gently tighten the weave and make the cross. Somehow the cross just asked for some lettering. I turned the cross over to the side where the paper strips were more even and wrote with a Akashiya Corporation Thin Line marker from Jet Pens. In the center: spring and imbolc. On the sides going clockwise: Let us nurture the spirit of renewal and embrace the light of the coming days. (from last year's first day of Celtic spring message) and Let us hold the fire of St. Brigid in our hearts and be warmed by its flames. Here's a link to video for making a traditional St. Brigid's cross.
Who is the Red Witch? The phenomenon of the Red Witch came to my attention after I noticed a common motif in vintage Halloween greeting cards. These images have always served as a wealth of ideas for my mini making and are a little window into folk practices long forgotten in America. Halloween now is much associated with children or horror movies. In the past, the American holiday was an adult affair with many romantically related games… sort of like a spooky Valentines day. Well, that’s a subject for another day. Back to the Red Witch. In these vintage images this figure is often a whimsical young girl with her kittens and jack o’ lanterns. She may have red curls, a red hooded cape, or a red cone hat, which at the time was not always pointed but looking more like a pilgrim’s hat. The little Red Witch was a beneficial and sweet natured figure in contrast to the dark hag beings. Above are several examples, from the exemplary Vintage Halloween collection of Dave ie “riptheskull” on Flickr. To see numerous examples of his vast collection go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66974474@N00/ Another aspect of the Red Witch is the Sexy Sorceress. This is possibly a more modern incarnation, taking on the less than impure attributes of the Scarlet Woman. Red is danger, fire, change, blood, and fierceness. This is the magical practitioner in the bloom of her womanhood who bends others to her ways. Often the secret mistress of a king, she helps him toward his own goals but ultimately exacts a high price. This version of the Red Witch can be quite fierce, although not necessarily evil. One of my favorite portrayals of this was Tia Carrere as Akivasha in the uhum… less than good movie “Kull”, supposedly the son of Conan played by Kevin Sorbo. Sci-fi and fantasy books, games, and comics have recycled the Sexy Red Witch stereotype countless times: Fashion dolls, such as Tonner’s Wizard of Oz dolls, have dabbled with the Red Witch. To read more about these amazing dolls and where to purchase them: http://www.tonnerdoll.com/wizofoz.htm Digging deeper in time, the Red Witch ultimately has ancient Gaelic roots. She is Bridget a multi faceted figure in Irish folklore. As an ancient goddess she was variously known as Bhrid or Bridget. From her name are derived the words “bride” and “breed”, terms associated with fertility and family. This fiery haired lady was the patroness of metal smithing, music, and animal husbandry. Her three fold nature is a common motif of Celtic goddesses, however Bridget was herself trifold rather than being a member of a triple sisterhood of associated beings. Bridget’s priestesses later converted to Christianity and she became a much loved Saint associated with a historical Irish Nun carrying her name. Now her wonders are discussed in terms of ‘miracles’ rather than ‘magic’… Further investigation produced the Red Witch Hazel plant, Hamamelis intermedia, also called the ‘Red Diane’. The Roman goddess Diana was said to be a red headed woman of great beauty and wildness, dedicated to the wilderness. Her daughter Ariadne or Aradia was known as the Queen of Witches in Tuscan regions. This beautiful winter plant resembles their wild red hair, with scarlet or orange blossoms, and has long been associated with witchcraft, midwifery, the land of fairy, & folk medicine. The Red Witch here blends with the Fairyfolk, and she becomes the Autumn Fey. Ouphe & goblin! imp & sprite!Elf of eve! & starry Fay!Ye that love the moon's soft light,Hitherãhither wend your way;Twine ye in a jocund ring,Sing & trip it merrily,Hand to hand, & wing to wing,Round the wild witch-hazel tree. Hail the wanderer again,With dance & song, & lute & lyre.Pure his wing & strong his chain,And doubly bright his fairy fire.Twine ye in an airy round,Brush the dew & print the lea;Skip & gambol, hop & bound,Round the wild witch-hazel tree. The beetle guards our holy ground,He flies about the haunted place,And if mortal there be found,He hums in his ears & flaps his face;The leaf-harp sounds our roundelay,The owlet 's eyes our lanterns be;Thus we sing, & dance, & play,Round the wild witch-hazel tree. -Elfin Song, by Joseph Rodman Drake (1795-1820) Links to gardening information: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/79888/ Links to herbal usage information: http://www.paghat.com/witchhazelblooms.html Well now, you should have plenty of new ideas to work with on your next project!
The original inhabitants of Ireland were hunter-gatherers, and they almost certainly migrated from Britain to Ireland as the last ice age ended.
Note: This is the very first post I wrote about Imbolc. In the past decade, I have discovered even more fascinating layers to its mythology and food lore, so check out the links spread throughout t…
Feasting played a central role in Iron Age European society, as attested to in numerous classical sources, and by extensive archaeological evidence. Such tribal feasts appear to have had a so…
About Home | | Message Back from a years-long hiatus. This blog is under construction. Currently trying to fix broken URLs and code for this blog, apologies for anything that is broken or info that is outdated. Much love to those who remember me <3 Hi, I'm Jenna. This is a blog of paganism, witchcraft, spells, charms, herbs, crystals, mythology, deities, folklore, and my love of dark forests. Also, occasional silliness, kitties and pretty handmade jewelry. Check the FAQ and spells index before sending questions. FAQ | Spells | Crystals | Herbs Tarot | Elements | Answered | Reading List | Beginner 101 Posts | Helpful Posts | Deities | Hellenic Polytheism | Fae | Candles | E-Shrines | Sabbats | My Photos | Quotes | Archive Other Blogs Kitchen Witchcraft | Aesthetic/Personal Nature | Autumn | Winter
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I've written on this blog before about land healing, specifically in relation to healing the land here at my property that we purchased 2 and a half years ago. Yesterday, my grove celebrated Imbolc, and as part of that we did a personal and land healing ritual (details of that ritual at the end of
Hi, I'm back. The last two months have been very wet here in Brittany, with lots of storms and heavy rainfall but me and my place are quit...
A new Pagan (Dievturi) temple has been built in Latvia, according to this article (in Latvian). Relying on Google Translate, I read, Crowded opening event alongside Latvian pagan exile pagan repres…
Ardmore translates into Irish as Árd Mór, which means ‘Great Height’. It was to this part of the Waterford coast that St Declan was miraculously guided, on a return voyage from Wales some time during the 5th century. Today, a number of sites remain from his monastic city, pointing to a devotion that stood the test of time. The beautiful Round Tower and Cathedral were built in the 12th century. The Tower’s entrance doorway is some 4 metres above ground level. The purpose of the Round Tower was to serve as a belfry and as a place of refuge for the ecclesiastics. The marvellous Romanesque sculptures on the West Gable Cathedral were sculpted between the 9th and 12th centuries. They are arranged in a series of arcades and depict scenes from the old and new testaments. Two Ogham stones are contained within the Cathedral for safety. One commemorates Lugaid, son or grandson of Nia-Segmon and the other is dedicated to AMADU (the loved one). The latter constitutes the longest known Ogham inscription in Ireland. The Beannachan, St. Declan’s Oratory, is said to contain the grave of St. Declan. The upper walls and roof were built in the 18th century. Generations of the faithful have scooped out the earth from the Saint’s grave, as it is believed to protect from disease.
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The Iron Age ( 500 BC to 400 AD) The Iron Age in Ireland spans almost one thousand years from the end of the Bronze Age to the start of the Early Christian Era during the fifth century AD. K…
På landejendommen Gøngehusfarm beliggende i det naturskønne Nordsjælland har designer Lotte Minch og hendes mand indrettet sig varmt og rustikt.
